DENVER – The Bureau of Land Management’s plan to rebalance the way it manages the 245 million acres under its stewardship will help restore degraded lands and waters, boost wildlife diversity, protect cultural and historic sites, and improve climate resiliency so that future generations can continue to enjoy these areas.

“The Bureau of Land Management’s mission has always been to steward our public lands for multiple uses, including conservation, recreation, and cultural values. Unfortunately, too often this broad congressional direction has been overshadowed by the urge to extract from these lands without much emphasis on the health of the ecosystems,” said Bailey Brennan, public lands attorney for the National Wildlife Federation. “This new plan is welcome news for fish and wildlife, sportsmen and women, rural economies, and all who depend upon these lands. It is also a chance for the Biden Administration to recommit to full co-management of these lands with the Indigenous communities and Tribal Nations that have vast ecological knowledge in caring for these lands."

“For far too long, the agency tasked with stewarding more than 245 million acres has put a premium on resource extraction while wildlife, fragile watersheds, recreation, and the protection of cultural resources have taken second place. This new rule will modernize management priorities to help mitigate climate-related impacts, restore fragmented habitat, and expand opportunities to connect with nature,” said Camilla Simon, executive director of Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting and the Outdoors (HECHO). “We look forward to working with the administration as it implements this plan — in coordination with Tribal and local partners — so that the health of the lands, waters and nearby communities are prioritized.”

“The Nevada Wildlife Federation is excited to see this announcement by the Bureau of Land Management, which stewards 48 million acres of land in our state. Nevada’s outdoor recreation economy supports over 50,000 direct jobs and is a $2.4 billion industry,” said Russell Kuhlman, executive director of the Nevada Wildlife Federation. “As we continue to lose 1.3 million acres of sagebrush country every year in the West, it’s important to identify and conserve valuable wildlife habitat that provides outdoor recreation opportunities for our residents and visitors.”